The 4x100m relay is one of the top events to watch at the 2014 Glasgow Commonwealth Games, for the combination of speed, teamwork, and the hope we might get a laugh if someone drops the baton.
What is it?
Running the relay is one of the most memorable events for the kids at an Aussie schools sports day, where there’s far less concern about actually running fast, but so much thought and planning going into keeping a tight grip on the relay batons.
That’s just as important at Commonwealth Games level of course, where the difference between a good changeover and a poor one could cost a team valuable seconds. That said, the pros rarely have any problems here.
The Aussie men’s team tends to function like a well-oiled machine, but we haven’t had a lot of success in the 4x100m relay in recent years, with our most recent spot on the podium being a bronze medal in 2002.
The first round of the relay will be on August 1, and the final on August 2.
The Aussies
The Aussies are fielding a relatively inexperienced team for the relay this year, with speedsters Tim Leathart, Jarrod Geddes, Jake Hammond, Alexander Hartmann and Jin Su Jung all heading to the games for the first time.
Jarrod Geddes has some good experience to draw from in that he recently spent some time training alongside Usain Bolt and a number of other elite athletes while visiting Jamaica. Of Geddes, Bolt said “his technique is pretty good”.
Joel Bee of Ballarat was also named in the men’s 4x100m relay team to head to the Commonwealth Games but has a hamstring concern that looks like it may prevent him from joining the team on this occasion.
The Competition
The English team have dominated in recent editions of the games and have won the gold four times out of the last five games, with a Jamaican victory at Melbourne 2006 being the only interruption.
It might be time that the Jamaicans retake the crown at Glasgow 2014 with human speed machine Usain Bolt confirmed to make his first ever Commonwealth Games appearance as part of the Jamaican team in the 4x100m event. Bolt’s presence makes for must-watch television. Take a seat and soak it in.
Fast Facts
– The Jamaican Team at the London 2012 Olympics of Usain Bolt, Nesta Carter, Michael Frater and Yohan Blake, set the world record for the fastest completion of the 4x100m relay, in a time of 36.84 seconds, the only team to have ever broken 37 seconds.
– The Australian record, also set at the London 2012 Olympics, is more than a second slower, at 38.17 seconds in total. It was set by a team of Anthony Alonzee, Isaac Ntiahmoah, Andrew McCabe and Joshua Ross.
– On the international stage this event is dominated by the United States of America, who have won the gold medal in this event in the Olympics on no less than fifteen occasions, with Britain and Jamaica both being tied for second overall with two each. Australia’s mens team has never won gold, but our women’s team did in the 1956 Melbourne Olympics.
What to Drink while watching
Celebrate Jamaica! Spiced rum with mixer of your choice, or just drink from a coconut. The priority is to enjoy the race, because athletes like Bolt don’t come around very often.
This article was first published on the Tenplay website here.
Olympic swimming legend and Australian Sports Commission boss Kieren Perkins has warned that "someone will die" if a multi-sport event that allows athletes to…
Peter Bol will return to racing in Australia next weekend for the first time since his provisional doping ban was lifted. Bol will race…
The South African former Paralympic star has been granted parole effective from January 5
Kenya's Kelvin Kiptum has shattered the men's marathon world record, winning in two hours, 35 seconds in Chicago to beat compatriot Eliud Kipchoge's previous mark by…
With Budapest 2023 run and won, the world's best now turn their attention to the Diamond League final in mid-September as they prepare themselves…
"The nightmare of Eugene has followed him here to Budapest" came the call from Rob Walker in the commentary box as the men’s 1500m…
